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Old 04-11-2015, 05:34 PM   #8 (permalink)
Isaac Zackary
Full sized hybrid.
 
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Colorado
Posts: 602

Suzy - '13 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE
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Thanks for all the great input!

I'd love to do a turbine setup. The problem is that yes, small turbines tend to be very inefficient. They are also loud. The beauty of an electric is the noise reduction. Part of the reason I'm not up for an ICE piston engine is the same reason, because they are loud. If I do end up getting a Leaf I also would want to keep the thing a bit of a secret. Imagine if I went by a police, especially with a tail pipe sniffer, in a Leaf and he hears the Leaf go "WWWWEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM !!!!!!" as it goes by. Not that I want to break the law, which is why a zero emissions vehicle might give best with a zero emissions LN set up.

Ya, the LN set up would be a bit inefficient. I think the best case scenario would be 25% from plug to wheel. But this would be used only a few times a year, not daily.

But then again, these are just concepts. Who knows, maybe a small turbine could be made well enough to be the better option. But for now I think it's more feasible to just rent a car on those occasions.
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